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A computer-implemented method for interactive emergency information and
identification is disclosed. The method includes receiving, by a
processor, a notification concerning an emergency situation, wherein the
notification includes a location of the emergency situation, and
defining, by the processor, a geo-fence representing a first physical
area surrounding the location of the emergency situation. The method
further includes receiving, by the processor, location information
representing locations of a plurality of user devices, each user device
being associated with an individual, and determining, by the processor,
which of the user devices are located within the geo-fence based on the
location information. Additionally, the method includes transmitting, by
the processor, information about the emergency situation to the user
devices located within the geo-fence.

Inventors:

SOUTH; John A.; (McLean, VA)

Applicant:

Name

City

State

Country

Type

Patrocinium Systems LLC

Reston

VA

US

Family ID:

1000002356406

Appl. No.:

15/388441

Filed:

December 22, 2016

Related U.S. Patent Documents

Application Number

Filing Date

Patent Number

14204084

Mar 11, 2014

9572002

15388441

14060280

Oct 22, 2013

9247408

14204084

Current U.S. Class:

1/1

Current CPC Class:

H04W 4/021 20130101; H04W 4/22 20130101

International Class:

H04W 4/22 20060101 H04W004/22; H04W 4/02 20060101 H04W004/02

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for interactive emergency information
and identification, which method comprises: receiving an emergency
notification from a first application executing on a first responder user
device, the emergency notification including information describing a
geographical location of an emergency situation; receiving location
information representing locations of a plurality of civilian user
devices, each civilian user device being associated with a civilian;
determining, based on the location information, which of the civilian
user devices are located within a bounded geographical area encompassing
the geographical location of the emergency situation; transmitting the
information describing the geographical location of the emergency
situation to a second application executing on the civilian user devices
located within the bounded geographical area, wherein the information
describing the geographical location of the emergency situation is
displayed by the second application; and transmitting information about
each of the civilian user devices located within the bounded geographical
area to the first application executing on the first responder user
device, wherein the information about each of the civilian user devices
is displayed by the first application.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising: receiving a current safety
status of at least one civilian from the plurality of civilian user
devices; and transmitting the current safety status of the at least one
civilian to the first application executing on the first responder user
device, wherein the current safety status of the at least one civilian is
displayed by the first application.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the current safety status of the at
least one civilian includes a plurality of current safety statuses for
respective civilians associated with the civilian user devices located
within the bounded geographical area; and wherein the plurality of
current safety statuses is displayed in a graphical list by the first
application.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the plurality of current safety
statuses in the graphical list are graphically differentiated based on
the respective current safety statuses.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting information about each of
the civilian user devices includes transmitting the location information
representing the locations of the plurality of civilian user devices
located within the bounded geographical area.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the location information representing
the locations of the plurality of civilian user devices located within
the bounded geographical area is displayed within a graphical map by the
first application executing on the first responder user device.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising: receiving, from at least
one of the plurality of civilian user devices within the bounded
geographical area, information describing the emergency situation; and
transmitting the information describing the emergency situation to the
first application executing on the first responder user device.

8. A system, comprising: an interactive emergency information and
identification system configured to: receive, by a processor, information
about an emergency situation; receive location information representing
locations of a plurality of civilian user devices, each civilian user
device being associated with a civilian; determine, based on the location
information, which of the civilian user devices are located within a
bounded geographical area encompassing a geographical location of the
emergency situation; transmit a first subset of the information about the
emergency situation to the civilian user devices located within the
bounded geographical area; and transmit a second subset of the
information about the emergency situation to a first responder user
device associated with a first responder, the second subset of the
information about the emergency situation being greater than the first
subset of the information about the emergency situation; a first
application executing on the civilian user devices, the first application
configured to: receive the first subset of the information about the
emergency situation; and display to the civilian user the first subset of
the information about the emergency situation; and a second application
executing on the first responder user device, the second application
configured to: receive the second subset of the information about the
emergency situation; and display to the first responder the second subset
of the information about the emergency situation.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the second application executing on the
first responder user device is further configured to receive login
credentials via a user interface on the first responder user device.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the amount of information in the
second subset of the information about the emergency situation is based
on the login credentials.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the login credentials identify the
first responder associated with the first responder device.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the second application is further
configured to transmit an emergency notification to the interactive
emergency information and identification system, the emergency
notification including the geographical location of the emergency
situation.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the interactive emergency information
and identification system is further configured to receive the emergency
notification and transmit the information describing the geographical
location of the emergency situation to the civilian user devices located
within the bounded geographical area.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein the first application executing on the
civilian user devices is further configured to prompt the civilian
associated with the respective civilian user device to input a current
safety status.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the second subset of information
about the emergency situation includes a plurality of current safety
statuses for respective civilians associated with the civilian user
devices located within the bounded geographical area; and wherein the
first subset of information does not include the plurality of current
safety statuses.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the second application executing on
the first responder user device is further configured to display the
plurality of current safety statuses in a graphical list that visually
differentiates the plurality of current safety statuses based on the
respective current safety status.

17. A computer-implemented method for interactive emergency information
and identification, which method comprises: receiving, by a processor,
information about an emergency situation; transmitting a first subset of
the information about the emergency situation to a first application
executing on a first responder user device associated with a first
responder of a first type; and transmitting a second subset of the
information about the emergency situation to a second application
executing on a second first responder user device associated with a first
responder of a second type different than the first type, wherein the
second subset of the information about the emergency situation is
different than the first subset of the information about the emergency
situation.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the first responder of the first type
is associated with a law enforcement agency, and wherein the first
responder of the second type is associated with civilian building
management.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the first subset of the information
about the emergency situation is greater than the second subset of the
information about the emergency situation.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the first responder of the first type
and the first responder of the second type are differentiated based on
login credentials input into the respective first and second
applications.

21. A computer-implemented interactive emergency information and
identification method, the method comprising: receiving, with an
interactive emergency information and identification system, emergency
location information describing a geographical location of an emergency;
receiving, with the interactive emergency information and identification
system, first device location information from a user device associated
with an individual; determining, with the interactive emergency
information and identification system, whether the user device is located
within a geo-fence based on the first device location information, the
geo-fence encompassing a geographical area including the geographical
location of the emergency; if the user device is determined to be in the
geo-fence, transmitting, with the interactive emergency information and
identification system, a request for second device location information
to the user device, the second device location information being
different than the first device location information and representing at
least one beacon disposed within a multi-floor structure at least
partially within the geo-fence; receiving, with the interactive emergency
information and identification system, the second device location
information; and determining, with the interactive emergency information
and identification system and based on the received second device
location information, on which floor of the multi-floor structure the
user device is located.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein the second device location information
is based on a transceiver in the user device detecting that the user
device is proximate to the at least one beacon.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the transceiver is a Bluetooth Low
Energy (BLE) transceiver.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein the first device location information
is based on GPS signals received by the user device.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE

[0001] This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser.
No. 14/204,084, filed Mar. 11, 2014, now allowed, which is a
continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/060,280,
filed Oct. 22, 2013, now issued as U.S. Pat. No. 9,247,408, the entire
disclosures of each which is incorporated herein by express reference
thereto.

FIELD

[0002] This application relates generally to data processing and, more
specifically, to systems and methods for interactive emergency
information and identification.

BACKGROUND

[0003] During a catastrophic event, people rely on televisions, radios,
and other media-consumption devices for up-to-the-minute information
about all aspects of the event. Such information may include locations of
events, people involved, responding agencies, and victims. Currently,
with existing systems, there is no "immediate" flow of information about
the event from people in the vicinity of the event to people in a
position to provide help (e.g., police, firemen, etc.). Timely response
in an emergency situation, however, can depend on accurate and up-to-date
information about the emergency situation itself, affected persons, and
their state. Prompt acquisition and exchange of such data can be
essential in such situations. Current audiovisual surveillance systems in
the area of an emergency situation may provide information about the
identify of affected persons, but the gathering and analysis of such
information may be a time-consuming process. Additionally, the deployment
of such surveillance systems may be costly and, generally, is negatively
perceived by the public. Historically, during emergencies, state, local,
and federal agencies use systems based on radio communications, such as
mobile data terminals (MDTs) in emergency response vehicles. They also
rely on after-the-fact witness accounts and calls to a 9-1-1 operations
center to provide "approximate data" about an event that just occurred.

[0004] Moreover, conventional systems cannot provide personalized
information and guidelines to individuals affected by an emergency
situation, or request and receive information related to the emergency
situation from the individuals, particularly on a real-time or
near-real-time basis.

SUMMARY

[0005] This summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a
simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed
Description. This summary is not intended to identify key features or
essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to
be used as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter.

[0006] Provided are systems and methods for interactive emergency
information and identification. For example, the present disclosure
encompasses a first embodiment related to a computer-implemented method
for interactive emergency information and identification. The method
includes receiving, by a processor, a notification concerning an
emergency situation, wherein the notification includes a location of the
emergency situation, and defining, by the processor, a geo-fence
representing a first physical area surrounding the location of the
emergency situation. The method also includes receiving, by the
processor, location information representing locations of a plurality of
user devices, each user device being associated with an individual, and
determining, by the processor, which of the user devices are located
within the geo-fence based on the location information. Further, the
method includes transmitting, by the processor, information about the
emergency situation to the user devices located within the geo-fence.

[0007] In one embodiment, the method further includes receiving, by the
processor, feedback from at least one of the user devices located within
the geo-fence, the feedback being generated in a user interface provided
on the user devices. Such feedback may include a request for help and/or
a statement that no help is required. Further, the feedback may include
textual information related to the emergency situation, audio information
related to the emergency situation, and/or video information related to
the emergency situation. In another embodiment, wherein the geo-fence
includes a plurality of proximity zones representing physical areas of
different distances from the location of the emergency situation, and the
method further includes determining in which proximity zone each user
device located within the geo-fence is respectively located. In yet
another embodiment, the method includes transmitting emergency
instructions associated with the emergency situation to the user devices
located within the geo-fence.

[0008] As another example, the present disclosure encompasses a second
embodiment related to a computer-implemented method for interactive
emergency information and identification. The method includes
establishing, by a processor, a virtual beacon in association with a
landmark, and receiving, by the processor, location information
representing locations of a plurality of user devices, each user device
being associated with an individual associated with the landmark. The
method further includes determining, by the processor, which of the user
devices are located within a subscription distance from the virtual
beacon based on the location information, subscribing the individuals
associated with user devices within the subscription distance to an
emergency notification list, and unsubscribing from the emergency
notification list the individuals associated with user devices outside of
the subscription distance. Further, after establishing the virtual
beacon, the method includes receiving, by a processor, a notification
concerning an emergency situation, wherein the notification includes a
location of the emergency situation, and transmitting, by the processor,
information about the emergency situation to the user devices associated
with individuals subscribed to the emergency notification list.

[0009] In one embodiment, the method further includes defining, by the
processor, a geo-fence representing a physical area surrounding the
location of the emergency situation, determining, by the processor, which
of the user devices are located within the geo-fence based on the
location information, and transmitting, by the processor, further
information about the emergency situation to the user devices located
within the geo-fence. In one embodiment, the number of user devices
located within the geo-fence is less than the number of user devices
located within the subscription distance from the virtual beacon. In a
further embodiment, transmitting information about the emergency
situation includes transmitting emergency instructions to the user
devices.

[0010] As yet another example, the present disclosure encompasses a third
embodiment related to a computer-implemented method for interactive
emergency information and identification. The method includes displaying,
with a user interface executing on a user device associated with an
individual, information about an emergency situation received by the user
device, and prompting, with the user interface, the individual to provide
a current safety status of the individual. The method also includes
receiving, via an input to the user interface, the current safety status
of the individual, the received safety status being subsequently
transmitted to a transmitted to an emergency information and
identification system. Further, the method includes prompting, with the
user interface, the individual to provide emergency situation data, and
receiving, via an input to the user interface, emergency situation data,
the received emergency situation data being subsequently transmitted to
the emergency information and identification system.

[0011] In one embodiment, prompting the individual to provide a current
safety status includes displaying a first control element that the
individual may activate if help is needed and a second control element
that the individual may activate if no help is needed. In another
embodiment, prompting the individual to provide emergency situation data
includes displaying at least one of a first control element that the
individual may activate to provide textual information related to the
emergency situation, a second control element that the individual may
activate to provide audio information related to the emergency situation,
and a third control element that the individual may activate to provide
video information related to the emergency situation. In a further
embodiment, displaying information about an emergency situation includes
displaying a graphical map showing a location of the emergency situation
relative to a position of the user device. In yet another embodiment,
displaying information about an emergency situation includes altering the
appearance of the user interface based on the proximity of the emergency
situation to the user device.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0012] Embodiments are illustrated by way of example and not limitation in
the figures of the accompanying drawings, in which like references
indicate similar elements and in which:

[0013] FIG. 1 illustrates an environment within which interactive
emergency information and identification systems and methods can be
implemented, in accordance to some embodiments.

[0014] FIG. 1A illustrates another environment within which interactive
emergency information and identification systems and methods can be
implemented, in accordance with other embodiments of the disclosure.

[0015] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing various modules of the
interactive emergency information and identification system, in
accordance with certain embodiments.

[0016] FIG. 3 is a flow chart illustrating an interactive emergency
information and identification method, in accordance with some example
embodiments.

[0017] FIG. 4 illustrates a screenshot of an emergency situation, in
accordance to some embodiments.

[0018] FIG. 5 illustrates a screenshot of defining a geo-fence of an
emergency situation, in accordance to some embodiments.

[0019] FIG. 5A illustrates the screenshot of FIG. 5 but as displayed on a
mobile device of a first responder.

[0020] FIG. 6 illustrates a screenshot of an emergency situation
notification, in accordance to some embodiments.

[0021] FIG. 7 illustrates a screenshot of providing emergency situation
data, in accordance to some embodiments.

[0022] FIG. 8 illustrates a screenshot of providing emergency action
instructions to the individual affected by the emergency situation, in
accordance to some embodiments.

[0023] FIG. 9 illustrates a screenshot of providing individual safety
information, in accordance to some embodiments.

[0024] FIG. 9A illustrates the screenshot of FIG. 9 but as displayed on a
mobile device of a first responder.

[0026] FIG. 11 illustrates an environment with systems for geographically
locating individuals who dial an emergency number on a mobile device,
according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0027] FIG. 12 illustrates a method for geographically locating an
individual who dialed an emergency number on a mobile device, according
to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0028] FIG. 13 shows a diagrammatic representation of a computing device
for a machine in the exemplary electronic form of a computer system,
within which a set of instructions for causing the machine to perform any
one or more of the methodologies discussed herein can be executed.

[0029] FIG. 14. illustrates another example screen of the administrative
user interface of the interactive emergency information and
identification system 200, according to an embodiment of the present
disclosure.

[0030] FIG. 15 illustrates a simplified flow chart of a method for virtual
beacon-based emergency notification of individuals, according to an
embodiment of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0031] Interactive emergency information and identification systems and
methods are described herein. In case of an emergency situation, such as
a shooting, a terrorist attack, and so forth, identities and locations of
individuals in proximity to the location of the emergency situation may
be determined using the location services of user devices carried by the
individuals (e.g., smart phones, tablet computers, etc.). The individuals
within a certain distance from the location of the emergency situation
may be informed about the emergency situation and requested to provide
real-time feedback about the situation, such as their safety status and
situational information as they perceive it. The feedback may be provided
by civilian level users and/or state or local entities including
first-responders such as police or fire officials, or paramedics.
Civilian level users or individuals may provide information concerning
their condition, safety, and/or whatever information they may have
concerning the emergency situation. Audio, video, and/or text data may be
received from the individuals via their devices. For example, a photo of
an active shooter or a video of a terrorist attack may be received. The
received feedback may be forwarded to law enforcement or other
appropriate agencies.

[0032] Additionally, data from various sources, such as local Emergency
Plan Actions or specific plans, e.g., those of the building management
where the event occurred, may be retrieved and remotely provided to
affected individuals. For example, emergency instructions relative to the
emergency situation may be extracted from the data and provided to
affected individuals via a user interface of their devices. For example,
emergency instructions may be provided in a graphical form as directions
on a map displayed on the user device. At the same time, the current
position of the individual may be displayed on the map.

[0033] In some embodiments, the interactive emergency information and
identification system may be used to request assistance in an emergency
situation. Thus, a user may send an emergency notification and/or
additional data related to the emergency via the user device. The user's
geographical position may be determined, and local emergency agencies may
be informed about the emergency situation affecting the user. Depending
on the nature of the emergency, notification may additionally be provided
concurrently to state emergency agencies or authorities, federal
emergency agencies or authorities (e.g., FEMA, the FBI, military police,
etc.), or both. Additionally, emergency instructions may be retrieved
based on the geographical position of the user, typically relative to the
emergency, and provided to the user such as via a graphical interface of
the user device. The system and methods can use an audio interface, e.g.,
for users who cannot see well enough to otherwise use the graphical
interface, however, caution must be used in such arrangements since sound
might attract the cause of an emergency.

[0034] Referring now to the drawings, FIG. 1 illustrates an environment
100 within which the interactive emergency information and identification
systems and methods can be implemented. The environment 100 may include a
network 110, an individual 120 (typically a civilian), a user device 130
associated with the individual 120, a security company 140, an
interactive emergency information and identification system 200 operated
by the security company, local and federal emergency and law enforcement
agencies 160 (e.g., rescue services, police departments, fire emergency
services, the FBI, Homeland Security, etc.), a first-responder user
device 162, a responder 170, and a work station 180. The network 110 may
include the Internet or any other network capable of communicating data
between devices. Suitable networks may include or interface with any one
or more of, for instance, a local intranet, a PAN (Personal Area
Network), a LAN (Local Area Network), a WAN (Wide Area Network), a MAN
(Metropolitan Area Network), a virtual private network (VPN), a storage
area network (SAN), a frame relay connection, an Advanced Intelligent
Network (AIN) connection, a synchronous optical network (SONET)
connection, a digital T1, T3, E1 or E3 line, Digital Data Service (DDS)
connection, DSL (Digital Subscriber Line) connection, an Ethernet
connection, an ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network) line, a dial-up
port such as a V.90, V.34 or V.34bis analog modem connection, a cable
modem, an ATM (Asynchronous Transfer Mode) connection, or an FDDI (Fiber
Distributed Data Interface) or CDDI (Copper Distributed Data Interface)
connection. Furthermore, communications may also include links to any of
a variety of wireless networks, including WAP (Wireless Application
Protocol), GPRS (General Packet Radio Service), GSM (Global System for
Mobile Communication), CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access) or TDMA (Time
Division Multiple Access), cellular phone networks, GPS, CDPD (cellular
digital packet data), RIM (Research in Motion, Limited) duplex paging
network, Bluetooth radio, or an IEEE 802.11-based radio frequency
network. The network 110 can further include or interface with any one or
more of an RS-232 serial connection, an IEEE-1394 (Firewire) connection,
a Fiber Channel connection, an IrDA (infrared) port, a SCSI (Small
Computer Systems Interface) connection, a USB (Universal Serial Bus)
connection or other wired or wireless, digital or analog interface or
connection, mesh or Digi.RTM. networking. The network 110 may be a
network of data processing nodes that are interconnected for the purpose
of data communication.

[0035] The user device 130 is a network-enabled computing device used by
the individual 120 and may be a mobile telephone, a desktop computer, a
laptop, netbook, a smart phone, a tablet computer (e.g., an iPad.RTM.,
Galaxy.RTM. or Kindle.RTM.), or other computing device that is capable of
sending and receiving data over a network. For example the user device
130 may include any number of communication transceivers such as a
cellular radio, a WiFi radio, a Bluetooth radio, and any other
transceiver capable of communicating with the network 110. The user
device 130 further includes a Graphical User Interface (GUI) for
displaying a user interface associated with the interactive emergency
information and identification system 200. In some embodiments, the user
interface is part of an application (or "app") that is provided by the
system 200 and downloaded and installed on the user device 130, typically
in advance of an emergency event. For example, if the individuals 120 are
students associated with a university, the students may download an app
to their smart phone and/or tablet as part of enrollment or orientation.
Such an app may communicate with the interactive emergency information
and identification system 200 using any of the communication transceivers
in the user device. For example, the app may receive and transmit
emergency information via a cellular data connection and/or a WiFi data
connection. In this manner, if cellular towers are overly congested
during an emergency situation, the app on the user device can switch to
another communication means, such as WiFi, to transmit and receive data.
Alternatively, the app can transmit using multiple concurrent
communication means, such as cellular and WiFi, although battery life of
the device must be considered when doing so.

[0036] The user device 130 may also include hardware and/or software
configured to determine a geographical location of the user device. For
example the user device may determine its present location using a GPS
receiver, the WiFi radio, the cellular radio, the Bluetooth radio, and/or
any other transceiver configured to determine the current physical
location of the user device, or any combination thereof.

[0037] The individual 120 may be a bearer or user of the user device 130
who may interact with the interactive emergency information and
identification system 200 and/or the responder 170 via a GUI. The
responder 170 may communicate with the interactive emergency information
and identification system 200 via the work station 180 or otherwise.

[0038] The first responder user device 162 is similar to the user device
130, but is used by individuals within emergency and law enforcement
agencies. The first responder user device 162 also includes a user
interface to facilitate communication with the emergency information and
identification system 200, but such user interface may display additional
information pertinent to responding to an emergency situation, as will be
discussed below. The user interface on the first responder user device
162 may be part of an application (or "app") that is downloaded and
installed. Alternatively, the user interface may be web-based and
viewable through a standard web browser.

[0039] The interactive emergency information and identification system 200
may be operated by a security company 140 that is hired by an entity with
a plurality of individuals (such as a university, city, corporation,
building management, etc.) to provide information exchange and emergency
response services during emergency situations involving the individuals
associated with the entity. In general, the interactive emergency
information and identification system 200 tracks the locations and safety
status of individuals during emergency situations and coordinates the
flow of information between individuals and first responders. In that
regard, the interactive emergency information and identification system
200 may communicate with one or more local, state, and federal emergency
and law enforcement agencies 160 (e.g., rescue or paramedic services,
police departments, fire emergency services, the FBI, Homeland Security,
etc.) during an emergency situation. The interactive emergency
information and identification system 200 may receive one or more
notifications associated with emergency situations, emergency action
plans, and other data from the emergency and law enforcement agencies
160. Additionally, the interactive emergency information and
identification system 200 may transmit information about one or more
individuals in proximity to the location of the emergency situation as
well as audio, video, and/or text data received from the individual 120
to the emergency and law enforcement agencies 160.

[0040] FIG. 1A illustrates another embodiment of the present disclosure
with an environment 102 within which interactive emergency information
and identification systems and methods can be implemented. The
environment 102 is similar to the environment 100 shown in FIG. 1, but
the interactive emergency information and identification system 200 is
hosted "in the cloud" on virtual hardware provided by an Infrastructure
as a Service (IaaS) provider 202. Specifically, the interactive emergency
information and identification system 200 is designed, implemented, and
controlled by the security company but executes as a hosted service
accessed through the Internet. In one embodiment, the interactive
emergency information and identification system 200 may be accessed via a
secure web-based application. For example, the responder 170 and
operators associated with the law enforcement agencies 160 may connect to
the interactive emergency information and identification system 200 via a
web browser and log-in to perform administrative tasks. In such an
embodiment, any device with a web browser may connect to and interact
with the interactive emergency information and identification system 200.
Additionally, applications ("apps") installed on user devices 130 and
first responder user devices 162 may natively connect to the interactive
emergency information and identification system 200 without the use of a
browser.

[0041] Connections to the interactive emergency information and
identification system 200 may be secured with encryption protocols (e.g.,
Secure Sockets Layer (SSL), HTTPS, etc.) and access may be restricted to
authorized users with an authentication and/or authorization layer (e.g.,
log-in credentials, electronic keys, etc.). Further, all data stored on
devices and in databases in the environment 102 may be encrypted to
protect sensitive location and profile information associated with
individuals. For example, location and profile data stored by the
interactive emergency information and identification system 200 may be
encrypted by the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) or other encryption
protocol.

[0042] Hosting the interactive emergency information and identification
system 200 on virtual hardware provided by the IaaS provider 202 allows
the security company 140 to scale up and scale down the capabilities of
the system depending on the amount of devices accessing the system. For
example, if notification of a major emergency is received, additional
virtual instances of the interactive emergency information and
identification system 200 may be initiated by the IaaS provider 202 on a
temporary basis to handle a larger than normal number of connections to
the system and a larger volume of data being transferred between users.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing various modules of the interactive
emergency information and identification system 200, in accordance with
certain embodiments. The system 200 may comprise a processor 210 and a
database 220. The processor 210 may include a programmable processor,
such as a microcontroller, central processing unit (CPU), and so forth.
In other embodiments, the processor 210 may include an
application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) or programmable logic
array (PLA), such as a field programmable gate array (FPGA), designed to
implement the functions performed by the system 200. Thus, the processor
210 may receive a notification concerning an emergency situation. The
notification may include a location of the emergency situation and may be
received from an emergency or law enforcement agency, one or more users
of the system 200, and so forth. In one embodiment, user interfaces on
the user device 130 and first responder device 162 may provide a button
or other control element through which an individual may submit a report
of an emergency situation. Such a report may automatically include the
location of user device and any description input by the individual.

[0043] Based on the information received about the emergency situation,
the processor 210 may define a geo-fence (or geo-net) representing a
physical area surrounding the location of the emergency situation. In one
embodiment, the geo-fence may be a physical area defined by a circle
having a specific radius extending from the location of the emergency
situation. The radius may be manually defined by a user, an operator of
the system 200, and/or an emergency or law enforcement agency.
Additionally, the radius may be automatically determined based on
characteristics (e.g., type, severity, etc.) of the emergency situation.
In other embodiments, the geo-fence may be defined by other shapes
depending on the nature of the emergency situation. For example, the
geo-fence may be defined by another geometric shape, or it may be defined
by the shape of a physical landmark such as a university campus, a city
block, or a specific building. Additionally, the geo-fence may include
one or more proximity zones that represent physical areas of different
distances from the location of the emergency situation. In the case of a
circular geo-fence, the proximity zones may be defined by concentric
circles of varying radii extending from the location of the emergency.
Further, the system 200 may dynamically alter the size and/or shape of
the geo-fence during an emergency situation based on incoming information
from first responders, law enforcement agencies, individuals with user
devices, news outlets, etc.

[0044] The processor 210 may receive location information describing the
locations of the user devices 130. The location information may be
received based on the defined geo-fence. Since the user devices are
associated with individuals, the processor 210 may determine a position
of an individual within the geo-fence based on the location information.
The position may include a proximity zone associated with the position of
the individual.

[0045] The processor 210 may inform individuals within and outside of the
geo-fence about the emergency situation via a user interface of the user
device. Additionally, the user interface may provide individuals with the
ability to upload feedback related to the emergency situation to the
system 200. The feedback may be received by the processor 210 and may
include a request for help, a statement that no help is required, an
assessment of the emergency situation, audio information, video
information, text information associated with the emergency situation,
and so forth. In one embodiment, the system 200 may dynamically alter the
size and/or shape of the geo-fence based on the feedback received from
the user devices. For instance, an individual may report that a shooter
has moved to a second location. The system 200 may then move the center
point of the geo-fence to the second location. In some embodiments, two
or a larger pre-defined number of reports of such a change might be
required to help ensure the geo-fence is not moved prematurely or
erroneously. And, such movement of the geo-fence may trigger the
transmission of a new round of emergency information messages to
individuals now within the newly-located geo-fence. Such movement of the
center point of the geo-fence may be performed automatically by the
system 200 based on incoming information or it may be performed manually
by an administrator with appropriate access to the system (based on login
credentials, etc.).

[0046] The database 220 stores a list of individuals that may need to be
alerted in the case of an emergency. For example, if the environment 100
includes a university campus, such a list may include students,
professors, staff, administrators, and anyone else who needs to be
alerted if there is an emergency situation on or near the university
campus. Each individual in the database 220 is associated with at least
one user device 130 that is used to track their location and provide
emergency information. Further, identifying information (picture,
description, contact information, etc.) and third-party emergency contact
information may be associated with each individual in the database.
Notifications about the emergency situation, locations of emergency
situations, individuals located in proximity to the emergency situation,
and feedback received from individuals 120 via user devices 130 may be
stored in the database 220. The data in the database 220 may be
accessible by an operator of the system 200, one or more first
responders, representatives of emergency or law enforcement agencies, and
so forth.

[0047] FIG. 3 is a flow chart illustrating an interactive emergency
information and identification method 300, in accordance with some
example embodiments. The method 300 may be performed by logic that may
comprise hardware (e.g., dedicated logic, programmable logic, and
microcode), software (such as software run on a general-purpose computer
system or a dedicated machine), or a combination of both. In one example
embodiment, the processing logic resides at the interactive emergency
information and identification system 200, and the various elements of
the system 200 can perform the method 300. It will be appreciated by one
of ordinary skill that examples of the foregoing modules may be virtual,
and instructions said to be executed by a module may, in fact, be
retrieved and executed by software. Although various elements may be
configured to perform some or all of the various operations described
herein, fewer or more elements may be provided and still fall within the
scope of various embodiments.

[0048] As shown in FIG. 3, the method 300 may commence at operation 310
with receiving a notification concerning an emergency situation. The
emergency situation may include a terrorist attack, a shooting event, a
bombing event, an earthquake, a flood, a fire, a hurricane, tornado, an
accident, collapsing building, and other natural or man-made disasters.
The notification may include a location of the emergency situation and/or
its description, classification, type, action plan, and so forth. The
location may be described with GPS coordinates, a street address, a
street intersection, a landmark, or other information identifying a
physical location.

[0049] In some embodiments, the emergency notification may originate from
one or more sensors positioned in areas of interest. For example, a
seismic sensor placed near a fault line may detect seismic activity and
transmit a message to the system 200. As another example, a tsunami
sensor positioned off shore may detect when water levels are lower or
higher than a predetermined threshold for a specific amount of time, or
both, and transmit a notification to the system 200. The system 200 would
in turn transmit emergency notifications to user devices in coastal
areas.

[0050] At operation 320, a geo-fence for the emergency situation may be
defined, as discussed above. The geo-fence may be defined automatically
(at least initially) based on the description, classification, and/or
type of the emergency situation. Alternatively, the geo-fence may be
manually defined or adjusted by an operator of the interactive emergency
information and identification system or by an individual whose user
device interacts with the interactive emergency response system. In some
embodiments, the geo-fence may include two or more proximity zones. Zones
may be differentiated based on proximity to the location of the emergency
situation.

[0051] At operation 330, location information associated with the
locations of user devices may be received. The user devices may include
mobile phones, smart phones, tablet computers, laptops, netbooks, and so
forth, as described herein. The user devices may be carried by
individuals such that the location of user devices may indicate, or at
least be used as an indication of, the individuals' locations. In some
embodiments, when the system 200 is notified of an emergency situation,
the system requests that the user devices report their current location.
In other embodiments, the user devices periodically transmit their
current location to the system 200 whenever they are powered on, although
typically less frequently than during an emergency situation. The
location information may be determined via multilateration of radio
signals between radio towers, triangulation of GPS signals, WiFi
positioning, Bluetooth sensor signals, or any combination thereof.

[0052] Additionally, the location information received from the user
devices may include information allowing first responders to determine an
individual's vertical position in a building or other structure. For
instance, received GPS information may include altitude as well as
latitude and longitude. Further, a transceiver in the user device, such
as a Bluetooth Low Energy transceiver, may detect a user's proximity to
various sensors (or beacons) within a building and report such proximity
information to the system 200. For instance, a building may include
proximity sensor on each floor, enabling a user device to report on which
floor it is located. As such, first responders in an emergency situation
would not have to spend time searching multiple floors for a victim with
a specific longitude and latitude.

[0053] Location information received from the user devices is compared
with the boundaries of the geo-fence to determine which of the user
devices are located within the geo-fence. The user devices may be carried
by or be adjacent to individuals and the locations of user devices may
indicate the respective individuals' locations. Based on the location
information and the geo-fence, positions of individuals (via their user
devices) within the geo-fence may be determined at operation 340. In that
regard, if it is determined that a user device is located within a
geo-fence, in some embodiments, it is further determined in which
proximity zone within the geo-fence the user device is located. The
specific proximity zone associated with a user device may indicate the
threat level to the individual carrying the device.

[0054] At operation 350, the individuals within the geo-fence may be
informed about the emergency situation via a user interface of the user
device associated with the individual. Specifically, the system 200
transmits the emergency information to the user devices within the
geo-fence, for example, as a push message. In this context, a push
message is a message that is received by a user device without the user
device requesting it. Such push notifications may be transmitted to user
devices automatically or manually in different embodiments. For instance,
in one embodiment, when the system 200 receives information about an
emergency, the system may process the information and automatically send
a push message to affected users. In other embodiments, an administrator
of the system 200 may be alerted to the incoming emergency information at
an administrator user interface and manually cause the system to transmit
push messages to selected or pre-selected user devices. The user
interface from which the administrator sends the messages may be a web
interface on a computer console located at an emergency response center
or the user interface may be executing on a first responder device 162 in
the field. In that regard, user of the system with administrator rights
(for example, as determined by login credentials) may send out emergency
notifications directly from an app running on a smart phone, tablet
computer, laptop, or other mobile device.

[0055] Once the push messages have been transmitted, tan affected
individual may be informed of the emergency by a message displayed on a
screen of the user device. In some embodiments, individuals outside of
the geo-fence will also be warned of the emergency situation, but the
message received and displayed on their user devices may be
different--for example, it may be less specific or lack any emergency
instructions. Those individuals proximate to but outside may get more
information than those not proximate to the geo-fence, such as
information to help avoid re-entering the geo-fence during the remainder
of the emergency situation. This is discussed in more detail in
association with FIGS. 14-15. As mentioned above, in some embodiments,
the user device includes an application (or "app") associated with the
interactive emergency information and identification system 200 that
receives, transmits, displays emergency information and collects location
information on the user device. In some embodiments, such an app may
automatically start when the user device is turned on and perpetually run
in the background. As such, when an emergency message is received from
the system 200, the app is available to display the message regardless of
the user's current device activity.

[0056] In some embodiments, the content of the emergency message and
display format of the message on the device screen may depend on the
proximity zone associated with the individual (i.e., the threat level to
the individual). For example, a user in a proximity zone immediately
adjacent the location of the emergency may receive a detailed message
describing the situation and also instructions to immediately take cover.
A user in a proximity zone further away from the location of the
emergency may receive a more general message without instructions, or
with instructions only on which direction to move to avoid the emergency.
Such customization of messages based on proximity may decrease panic
among individuals outside of harm's way.

[0057] Additionally, the user interface color and font scheme may change
based on the proximity zone associated with the individual. In one
embodiment, if an individual is located in a proximity zone immediately
adjacent the location of the emergency situation, the user interface may
display bold font over a red background to indicate a high threat level.
A yellow background may be presented to a user in a more distant
proximity zone. As an individual moves between proximity zones, the user
interface color scheme may change to indicate a change in threat level.
Further, the app may cause the user device to emit a warning sound
corresponding with the display of the message (even if the device is set
to a "silent" mode).

[0058] Additionally, the content of the push message displayed on a user
device may depend on the type of individual associated with the user
device. For instance, a policeman with a first responder user device 162
may receive additional detail about a shooter that would not be
transmitted to a civilian. An authorization step requiring login
credentials may be used to differentiate between individuals (e.g.,
individual civilians, civilian building management, police, fire, etc.)
accessing the app on a user device.

[0059] In operation 360, a functionality to give feedback may be provided
to the individual via the user interface, and the feedback may be
received at the system 200 at operation 370. Thus, information on the
state of the individual may be requested. In such a way, the interactive
emergency information and identification system may receive information
on a number and state of individuals who are affected by the emergency
situation. Moreover, audio, video, text, and other data related to the
emergency situation may be received from the individual. For example, the
data may include a photo of a shooter in a shooting event, information on
suspicious activity noticed by the individual, and so forth.

[0060] At optional operation 380, the data related to the feedback of the
individual and location information may be distributed to corresponding
agencies, and/or individual users. The volume and details of the data
provided to different parties may depend on agreements and settings with
the parties. Additionally, the distribution of individuals' feedback to
first responders may be prioritized based on the proximity zone of the
individual providing the feedback. For instance, feedback from an
individual close to an emergency event may be transmitted to law
enforcement agencies first, followed by feedback from individuals in more
distance proximity zones. In this manner, first responders can receive
and give priority to the most pertinent information.

[0061] The data, also transmitted to corresponding agencies, may be used
by them to facilitate emergency situation management and relief.

[0062] In some embodiments, emergency instructions associated with the
emergency situation may be provided to the individual via the user
interface (for example, as a text or as graphical instructions). The
emergency instructions may be based on an emergency action plan
associated with the emergency situation, instructions provided by
corresponding agencies, and so forth. Additionally, the instructions may
vary depending on the proximity zone associated with the position of the
individual. For example, an individual within 10 meters of a shooter may
receive instructions to take cover, while an individual within 50-100
meters of the shooter may receive instructions to move away from the
shooter.

[0063] The current position of the individual may be continuously
monitored and actions of the individual may be coordinated, such as by
the system itself, or by an authorized administrator. For example, the
individual may be informed that he is approaching a fire or moving away
from a rescue team or informed about recommended moving directions, or
that it is safe to use a particular exit route because the emergency is
over or has shifted location. In some embodiments, if a large number of
individuals are within a geo-fence surrounding an emergency situation,
the system 200 may automatically transmit warning messages to the
individuals' user devices based on their positions relative to the
location of the emergency situation.

[0064] In some embodiments, a user of the interactive emergency
information and identification system may send an assistance request. The
system may receive the request and provide assistance to the user. The
assistance may include informational assistance, transmitting the
assistance request to an emergency agency, first aid service, and so
forth.

[0065] FIGS. 4-10 show example user interface screens illustrating aspects
of the emergency situation information and identification system 200.
FIG. 4 illustrates an example screen 400 of an emergency situation from
an administrator's point of view, in some embodiments. The administrator
may be an operator 410 associated with the security company 140 or the
administrator may be associated with the emergency and law enforcement
agencies 160. The example screen 400 is one aspect of an administrative
user interface that gives administrators information and control of the
interactive emergency information and identification system 200. The
administrative user interface may be accessed via a web-browser or
dedicated application on any computing device with a network connection
to the system 200.

[0066] The example screen 400 contains a map 402 displaying the
geographical location of an emergency situation 404. As described in
association with operation 310 in FIG. 3, a notification about the
emergency situation may be received by the interactive emergency
information and identification system 200 from a corresponding emergency,
government, or law enforcement agency, a user of the system 200, or
another source. The notification may include data on a location 404 of
the emergency situation. The location 404 of an emergency situation is
extracted by the system 200 and defined on the map 402 which may be
displayed to an operator 410 via the administrative user interface.

[0067] FIG. 5 illustrates one embodiment of an example screen 500 of the
administrative user interface, as viewed by an operator 410. In the
illustrated embodiment, the screen 500 contains a graphical map 402
showing a geo-fence 502 that is defined by a circle with a specific
radius extending from the location of the emergency situation 404. That
is, the center of the geo-fence 502 is typically the location 404 of the
emergency situation. The center can also be set based on predicted
movement of the location 404 of the emergency situation, for example, if
a shooter or terrorist is in a vehicle moving down a road. In some
embodiments, several proximity zones may be defined within the geo-fence
502. For example, a proximity zone A (enclosed by a circle 504) may be a
physical area with a radius of 50 meters. A proximity zone B may be, for
example, a physical area between 50 and 100 meters from the location 404
(between the circles 504 and 502).

[0068] Location information received from user devices associated with
individuals known to the system 200 may be processed to determine which
of the user devices are within the geo-fence 502. In the example of FIG.
5, the user devices with positions 506 are inside the geo-fence 502.
Additionally, the user devices with positions 508 are outside, but in
proximity to the geo-fence 502. In one embodiment, a filter can be
applied to screen out devices that are no longer active, such as devices
that have not moved or been activated by a user during the emergency.
Screen 500 illustrates the positions 506 and 508 defined on the map 402
in relation to the location 404 of the emergency situation. Each of the
positions 506 may be associated with a proximity zone within the
geo-fence 502.

[0069] The screen 500 may be displayed to the operator 410 to visualize
positions and movements of the individuals in relation to the location of
emergency situation 404 in real time. Each of the positions 506, 508 may
be accompanied by brief information associated with the individual. The
information may be updated in real time and may include name, age, state,
phone number, a photograph of the individual, and other data related to
the individual that may have been provided before, or during, the
emergency.

[0070] In some embodiments, the operator 410 may connect and communicate
with one or more specific individuals or small groups believed to be
proximate to or distant from the emergency to obtain more information via
the administrator's user interface. Such communication may occur via
phone, voice-over-IP (VoIP), SMS/MMS text messages, Internet-based text
messages, and so forth. The connection may be automated using the
administrative user interface. Typically, a silent method is preferred so
that no sound need be made on or near an individual's device that is near
the emergency location 404. Thus, the operator 410 may call or otherwise
contact one of the individuals without having to dial phone numbers, the
operator 410 may simply activate an interface control element, and the
system 200 will perform the connection automatically.

[0071] FIG. 5A illustrates the same example screen 500 of the
administrative user interface, however, in the embodiment of FIG. 5A, the
screen 500 is displayed on a tablet computer 520 or other mobile device
belonging to a first responder or other law enforcement official. As
described above, the administrative user interface, including map 402,
may be accessed on a tablet computer or other mobile device via a web
browser or a dedicated application (or app). As such, a first responder
may have real-time access to emergency situational information in the
field.

[0072] FIG. 6 illustrates an example screen 600 of an emergency situation
notification shown on the display screen of an individual's user device
130. In one embodiment, the example screen 600 may be part of a user
interface rendered by an application (or "app") associated with the
interactive emergency information and identification system 200. The
notification may be shown on the display of the user device 130 after
being received as a as a push message from the system 200. In some
embodiments, the screen 600 will interrupt any other activity being
performed on the user device so as to immediately notify the individual
of the emergency situation. The notification includes a location 604 of
an emergency situation relative to a position of the individual 606. The
location 604 and the position 606 may be shown on a map. As described
above, in some embodiments, the display format of the message may depend
on the proximity zone associated with the individual (e.g., red theme for
high threat level, yellow theme for medium threat level, green theme for
low threat level).

[0073] Additionally, a functionally to give feedback may be provided to
the individual. Thus, the individual may send a request for help by
activating an "I need help" button 608, or may define his state as
satisfactory by activating an "I'm OK" button 610. The activation button
608 may involve certain swiping or other gestures to help minimize
accidental input under emergency conditions, or may be set as simply as
possible and erroneous input screened out. In one embodiment, when an
individual activates the "I'm OK" button 610 the system 200 automatically
sends a message (via SMS, email, etc.) to the emergency contacts
associated with the individual in the database 220. As such, family and
friends of individuals affected by an emergency will quickly know whether
their loved ones are safe, thus reducing the amount of telecommunication
congestion during an emergency. If an individual instead activates the "I
need help" button 608, first responders or other law enforcement are
alerted to the individual's location and safety status. In some
embodiments, the user device 130 may capture user feedback in additional
manners, such as in respond to voice commands. For example, an individual
may be able to simply speak the phrase "I need help" without having to
select a button in the user interface. In some embodiments, when an
individual activates the "I need help" button 608 the system 200
automatically sends a message (via SMS, email, etc.) to the emergency
contacts associated with the individual in the database 220.

[0074] Furthermore, the interactive emergency information and
identification system 200 may provide a functionality allowing the
individual to send data associated with the emergency situation to the
system. In that regard, FIG. 7 illustrates an example screen 700 for
providing emergency situation feedback, in accordance to some
embodiments. The screen 700 may include at least "Send Photo/Video" 702,
"Send Audio" 704, and "Send Message" 706 control elements. The data sent
using the control elements 702-706 may be transmitted to the interactive
emergency information and identification system 200 and then forwarded to
appropriate agencies.

[0075] FIG. 8 illustrates an example screen 800 for providing emergency
action instructions to an individual affected by the emergency situation,
in accordance with some embodiments. The instructions may be provided via
a user interface of user device 130 associated with the individual. In
that regard, the example screen 800 may be rendered by an application (or
"app") that receives emergency instruction data from the interactive
emergency information and identification system 200. In some embodiments,
the instructions may be graphical directions 806 shown in relation to a
location 802 of the emergency situation and a position 804 of the
individual. As discussed above, the instructions transmitted to an
individual may vary based on the individual's distance from the location
of the emergency situation. The emergency instructions may also include
text, audio, or video messages, or any other form of communication.

[0076] Received feedback related to the safety status of individuals (e.g.
"I'm ok," "I need help," etc.) may be collected and analyzed by the
system 200. Based on the analysis, consolidated data representing the
real-time safety status of each individual may be generated. The
consolidated data may be provided to an operator via the administrative
user interface.

[0077] In that regard, an example screen 900 displaying reported safety
statuses of the individuals in real time is illustrated by FIG. 9. The
example screen may be one aspect of the administrative user interface
provided by the system 200. A safe list 902 may be shown to an operator
902. The safe list 902 may graphically differentiate users of the system
200 (or individuals) with different safety statuses. For example, users
in danger 904 may be highlighted by color, font size, special symbols,
and so forth. Users safe 906 and users whose status is Unknown 908 may be
indicated by other symbols, colors, and so forth. In this manner,
operators of the system 200 can quickly determine who is in danger and
alert law enforcement agencies. In some embodiments, first responders and
law enforcement may have direct access to the safe list 902 on their
mobile devices.

[0078] In that regard, FIG. 9A illustrates the same example screen 900 of
the administrative user interface, however, in the embodiment of FIG. 9A,
the screen 900 is displayed on a mobile device 910 belonging to a first
responder or other law enforcement official. As described above, the
administrative user interface, including screen 900, may be accessed on a
smart phone, tablet computer, or other mobile device via a web browser or
a dedicated application. As such, a first responder may have real-time
access to emergency situational information in the field. Civilian users
of the system 200 would not have access to the same level of information
as administrators. For instance, a policeman with a first responder user
device 162 may receive additional detail about a shooter that would not
be transmitted to a civilian. An authorization step requiring login
credentials may be used to differentiate between individuals accessing
the app on a user device.

[0079] FIG. 10 illustrates another example screen 950 of the
administrative user interface provided by the interactive emergency
information and identification system 200, according to one embodiment of
the present disclosure. The example screen 950 combines elements of the
screens discussed in FIGS. 4, 5, and 9 into a single administrative
dashboard that provides efficient information dissemination. In that
regard, the administrative dashboard includes a map element 952, an
incident status element 954, a safe list element 956, and an incident
upload element 958. The administrative dashboard may be directly accessed
by an authorized administrative user on a desktop computer, smart phone,
tablet computer, or other mobile device via a web browser or a dedicated
application.

[0080] The map element 952 is similar to the map 402 shown in FIGS. 4 and
5 in that it graphically displays the geographical location 960 of an
emergency situation and the locations 962 of one or more individuals in
the database 220 of the system 200. The icons representing individuals on
the map element 952 may be color-coded to depict the safety status of the
respective individuals. In one embodiment, an operator of the
administrative dashboard may select (with a mouse, finger, etc.) one of
the individuals displayed on the map to bring up an information window
964 that includes details about the selected individual. For instance,
the information window 964 may include name, picture, ID number, address,
telephone number, email address, safety status, and other pertinent
information. Additionally, the information window 964 may provide the
operator with a way of directly contacting the individual, for instance,
by selecting the telephone number or email address. Further, the map
element 952 includes a group selector 966 that allows an operator to
change the types of individuals displayed on the map. In the illustrated
embodiment, "all users" is selected so that the locations of every user
in the database 220 are displayed on the map. However, selecting a
different group using the group selector 966 may allow the operator to
view the locations of fewer than all users. For instance, the operator
may choose to only view the locations of individuals based on their
proximity to the emergency situation (e.g., 50 meters, 200 meters, 500
meters, 1 kilometer, etc.), their reported safety status (e.g., "I'm OK",
"I need help," unknown, etc.), their title (e.g., student, professor,
staff, etc.), their last known location (e.g., in case their mobile
device was turned off or is inoperable), and other characteristics that
may differentiate between individuals and otherwise help first-responders
address the emergency.

[0081] The incident status element 954 includes a status input 970 that
allows an operator to input a real-time update regarding the status of
the emergency situation. The update may be pushed down to individuals for
immediate display on their user devices 130 and to law enforcement via
the first responder user devices 162. As updates are input during an
emergency situation, the updates create a timeline 972 of events with
time stamps. The timeline may be additionally utilized for after-the-fact
incident reporting and investigation.

[0082] The safe list element 956 displays the real-time safety status of
individuals as received from the individuals' user devices 130. As
mentioned above in association with FIG. 9, the statuses of the
individuals' may be color-coded or differentiated in some way so that an
operator may focus on the individuals still in danger as events unfold.

[0083] The incident upload element 958 displays the information describing
the emergency situation received from individuals. As mentioned above in
association with FIG. 7, individuals may upload information about an
emergency situation to the system 200 in the form of text, audio, and
photo/video. In the illustrated embodiment, the incident upload element
958 displays each individual 974 who has uploaded and the items of
content 976 they have uploaded. Each item of uploaded content 976 is
associated with a time stamp to better coordinate response efforts and
incident reporting. In some embodiments, the operator may select specific
items of uploaded content 976 for transmission to specific first
responders, or may choose to send highly pertinent items (e.g., a photo
of a shooter) to all first responders and law enforcement. Alternatively,
as described above, a first responder may access the items of uploaded
content 976 directly via the administrative dashboard on a mobile device
through a web browser or native application.

[0084] FIG. 11 illustrates an environment 980 with systems for
geographically locating individuals who dial an emergency number on a
mobile device, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. The
environment 980 is similar to the environment 102 shown in FIG. 1A, in
that it includes the interactive emergency information and identification
system 200 to which user devices 130 and emergency and law enforcement
agencies 160 connect to share information and coordinate a response
during an emergency situation. The environment 980 further includes an
emergency dispatcher 982 at a public safety answering point ("PSAP") who
receives emergency (911) calls from individuals 120. The emergency
dispatcher 982 utilizes a workstation 983 to access location and other
information about the individual 120 making the call. In that regard, the
dispatcher 982 may connect to the administrative user interface of the
interactive emergency information and identification system 200 via the
Internet or other network 110. As will be described in association with
the method of FIG. 12, the system 200 may provide the dispatcher 982 with
the individual's location much more quickly than traditional emergency
call locating methods (e.g., Enhanced 911 services, etc.). The dispatcher
982 may contact and dispatch emergency agencies 160 to the individual if
warranted by the situation.

[0085] Referring now to FIG. 12, illustrated is a method 984 for
geographically locating an individual who dialed an emergency number on a
mobile device, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. The
method 984 begins at block 986 where the individual 120 dials an
emergency number (e.g., 911) on his or her mobile device 130. At block
988, the individual is connected to the emergency dispatcher 982 at a
PSAP who inquires about the individual's purpose of calling. As shown in
block 990, an application (or "app") associated with the system 200 on
the mobile device 130 detects that the individual dialed the emergency
number. As mentioned above, such an app starts when the mobile device is
powered on and constantly monitors outgoing calls made on the device to
determine if a known emergency number is called. In that regard, the app
is configured to detect calls made via a standard cellular voice line
and/or calls made over a voice over IP (VoIP) line via a mobile data
network connection (e.g., cellular data network, WiFi, etc.). Next, at
block 992, the app on the mobile device queries the device for its
geographical location. As discussed above, any number of hardware and/or
software components within the mobile device may detect the location of
the device. In one embodiment, the location is detected by a GPS
transceiver. Further, if one or more of the location detecting components
in the mobile device are disabled at the time of the emergency call, the
app may enable all or some of them when a 911 call is made. The app then
transmits the geographical location of the mobile device to the
interactive emergency information and identification system 200 via the
network 110, where it is stored in association with the individual.

[0086] Then, at block 994, the emergency dispatcher 982 logs into the
administrative user interface of the system 200 via the workstation 983.
In one embodiment, the system automatically matches the telephone number
of the incoming call to a telephone number associated with the individual
that is stored in the system. Upon a match, the administrative user
interface displays all known information about the individual, including
the individual's current geographical location just received from the
individual's mobile device. In one embodiment, the user's location will
be displayed on a graphical map. In this manner, the dispatcher has
knowledge of the individual's current location in a matter of seconds and
does not need to rely on the individual to relay an accurate location.
Further, in some embodiments, a dispatcher may have the option to
immediately notify the individual's emergency contacts stored in the
system 200 of the fact that the individual has dialed the emergency
number. Such notification may occur automatically or the dispatcher may
ask the individual whether he or she would like the notification to
happen.

[0087] Next, in block 996, the emergency dispatcher 982 dispatches
emergency and/or law enforcement to or adjacent the geographical location
of the individual, as reported by the individual's mobile device.
Notably, the app on the mobile device will periodically query the current
location of the user device during the pendency of the emergency call
between the individual and the dispatcher and transmit the updated
location to the system 200 for display to the dispatcher, as shown in
block 998. In one embodiment, the mobile device will continue to transmit
its location to the system 200 after the emergency call has ended until
the dispatcher receives notice that the first responders have reached the
individual. In this manner, an inadvertent dropped call will not hinder
the location acquisition of the individual. In one embodiment, the
frequency with which the mobile device transmits its location to the
system 200 during and after the emergency call may depend on the
remaining battery life of the device. For instance, the mobile device may
transmit its location every 30 seconds when the device's battery has more
than 25% battery life remaining, but progressively increase the
transmission interval as the battery life drains from 25% to 0%.

[0088] It is understood that the method 984 for geographically locating an
individual who dialed an emergency number on a mobile device is simply an
example embodiment, and in alternative embodiments, additional and/or
different steps may be included in the method. Further, steps may be
excluded or performed in a different order from the method 984 in certain
embodiments. For example, in one embodiment, if the emergency call
between the individual and the emergency dispatcher is unintentionally
disconnected, the app on the mobile device may present control elements
labeled "I'm OK" and "Call me back" to the individual. If first
responders have reached the individual and there is no need to reconnect
with the dispatcher, the individual may activate the "I'm OK" element.
Otherwise, the individual may activate the "Call me back" element to be
reconnected with the dispatcher. In one embodiment, if the individual has
moved after first responders have been dispatched, the operator can
redirect the en route first responders to the new location, or
periodically or continually provide updated geographic location
information.

[0089] Further, in other embodiments of method 984, users may initiate
contact with a dispatcher at a PSAP via a panic button displayed on their
user device rather than by dialing an emergency telephone number. For
example, in block 986, a user in danger may select a panic button in the
app executing on their user device, and then, in blocks 990 and 992, the
app queries the geographic location of the user device and transmits an
alert message containing the location information to a dispatcher. In
some embodiments, when the panic button is activated, the individual is
given a choice as to whether they would like to speak with a dispatcher
via a telephone connection or not. In either case, the dispatcher may
then dispatch first responders based on the received location
information. Further, if the user device on which the panic button was
triggered is associated with a minor, the system 200 may trigger an Amber
Alert-type notification to other users of the system 200. Additionally,
in some embodiments, when an individual activates dials 911 or the panic
button, the system 200 automatically sends a message (via SMS, email,
etc.) to the emergency contacts associated with the individual in the
database 220.

[0090] Further, the method 984 may be performed by logic that may comprise
hardware (e.g., dedicated logic, programmable logic, and microcode),
software (such as software run on a general-purpose computer system or a
dedicated machine), or a combination of both. In one example embodiment,
the processing logic resides at the interactive emergency information and
identification system 200, and the various elements of the system 200 can
perform the method 984.

[0091] FIG. 13 shows a diagrammatic representation of a computing device
for a machine in the exemplary electronic form of a computer system 1000,
within which a set of instructions for causing the machine to perform any
one or more of the methodologies discussed herein can be executed. In
various exemplary embodiments, the machine operates as a standalone
device or can be connected (e.g., networked) to other machines. In a
networked deployment, the machine can operate in the capacity of a server
or a client machine in a server-client network environment, or as a peer
machine in a peer-to-peer (or distributed) network environment. The
machine can be a personal computer (PC), a tablet computer, a set-top box
(STB), a cellular telephone, a smart phone, a digital camera, a portable
music player (e.g., a portable hard drive audio device, such as an Moving
Picture Experts Group Audio Layer 3 (MP3) player), a web appliance, a
network router, a switch, a bridge, or any machine capable of executing a
set of instructions (sequential or otherwise) that specify actions to be
taken by that machine. Further, while only a single machine is
illustrated, the term "machine" shall also be taken to include any
collection of machines that individually or jointly execute a set (or
multiple sets) of instructions to perform any one or more of the
methodologies discussed herein.

[0092] The example computer system 1000 includes a processor or multiple
processors 1002, a hard disk drive 1004, a main memory 1006 and a static
memory 1008, which communicate with each other via a bus 1010. The
computer system 1000 may also include a network interface device 1012
that provides wired and/or wireless access to communication networks,
such as the Internet. The hard disk drive 1004 may include a
computer-readable medium 1020, which stores one or more sets of
instructions 1022 embodying or utilized by any one or more of the
methodologies or functions described herein. The instructions 1022 can
also reside, completely or at least partially, within the main memory
1006 and/or within the processors 1002 during execution thereof by the
computer system 1000. The main memory 1006 and the processors 1002 also
constitute non-transitory, machine-readable media.

[0093] While the computer-readable medium 1020 is shown in an exemplary
embodiment to be a single medium, the term "computer-readable medium"
should be taken to include a single medium or multiple media (e.g., a
centralized or distributed database, and/or associated caches and
servers) that store the one or more sets of instructions. The term
"computer-readable medium" shall also be taken to include any medium that
is capable of storing, encoding, or carrying a set of instructions for
execution by the machine and that causes the machine to perform any one
or more of the methodologies of the present application, or that is
capable of storing, encoding, or carrying data structures utilized by or
associated with such a set of instructions. The term "computer-readable
medium" shall accordingly be taken to include, but not be limited to,
solid-state memories, optical and magnetic media. Such media can also
include, without limitation, hard disks, floppy disks, NAND or NOR flash
memory, digital video disks (DVDs), RAM, ROM, and the like.

[0094] The exemplary embodiments described herein can be implemented in an
operating environment comprising computer-executable instructions (e.g.,
software) installed on a computer, in hardware, or in a combination of
software and hardware. The computer-executable instructions can be
written in a computer programming language or can be embodied in firmware
logic. If written in a programming language conforming to a recognized
standard, such instructions can be executed on a variety of hardware
platforms and for interfaces to a variety of operating systems. Although
not limited thereto, computer software programs for implementing the
present method can be written in any number of suitable programming
languages such as, for example, C, C++, C# or other compilers,
assemblers, interpreters or other computer languages or platforms.

[0095] Referring now to FIG. 14, illustrated is another example screen
1050 of the administrative user interface of the interactive emergency
information and identification system 200, according to an embodiment of
the present disclosure. The system 200 is operated by the security
company 140 in either of the environments 100 and 102 shown in FIGS. 1
and 1A. Aspects of the environments 100 and 102 are not shown in FIG. 14
for the sake of efficiency. An operator 1051 associated with the security
company 140 or the emergency and law enforcement agencies 160 may use
aspects of the administrative user interface, including the example
screen 1050, to coordinate emergency response and communications during
an emergency situation. As explained above, the administrative user
interface may be accessed via a web-browser or dedicated application on
any computing device with a network connection to the system 200. This
can permit an administrator with access who is within the geo-fence, any
proximity zone, or adjacent to the location of the emergency or the
geo-fence, to access the system described herein. A law enforcement or
emergency user can be provided temporary administrative access to the
information and identification system for the duration of the emergency
to directly locate and contact any users, e.g., such as those in danger.

[0096] The example screen 1050 of FIG. 14 displays a map 1052 showing a
landmark 1054 and individuals associated with the landmark. The landmark
1054 may be any geographical area, a geological feature, a geographical
coordinate, a parcel of property (e.g., a golf course), a building (e.g.,
a mall, an office building, an apartment building, etc.), a collection of
buildings (e.g., a campus, a shopping center, a municipality, buildings
managed by the same property manager, etc.), a portion of a building, or
any other geographical area. For instance, in one embodiment, the
landmark 1054 is a university campus and the individuals 1056, 1058,
1060, 1062, 1064, and 1066 are associated with the campus as students,
professors, staff, etc. The individuals are each associated with one or
more user devices that are configured to detect and transmit a current
geographical location to the system 200, as explained the context of
environments 100 and 102. The individuals 1056-1066 are registered with
the system 200 and are associated in the database 220 with one or more
user devices. In another example, the landmark 1054 is a geographical
area--such as a shopping center or mall--where the individuals that enter
the area are random and unpredictable (i.e., are not previously
registered). Such individuals may become associated with the geographical
area when they are physically in or near the landmark. In that regard, an
individual may become registered with the system 200 when the system
detects the presence of the individual's user device and information
about the individual is added to the database 220. In some embodiments,
an individual can opt out of being registered with the system 200 or
control the amount of information that collected from the user device.

[0097] During an emergency situation, it may be advantageous to alert
fewer than all of the registered individuals of the situation, for
example, to decrease panic and reduce communication traffic.
Specifically, those individuals that are far enough away from the
location of the emergency situation may not be in any danger and, thus,
do not need to receive an alert (or can receive a more generic alert) on
their user device. For example, if the landmark 1054 is a building and
the registered individuals work in the building, it may be unnecessary to
alert every individual of a fire alarm if some individuals, for example,
are currently at locations remote from the building. In one embodiment,
if the building is particularly large and nature of the emergency can be
contained to a floor, only users on that floor need be notified. The
method and system described in association with FIGS. 14-15 track the
locations of individuals associated with a landmark via a virtual beacon
and dynamically determine which users to alert during an emergency at or
adjacent the landmark based on their respective distances from the
virtual beacon.

[0098] In that regard, the map 1052 contains a virtual beacon 1068 that is
positioned in the landmark 1054. The virtual beacon 1068 may be
associated with the landmark regardless of whether there is currently an
emergency situation at the landmark. The virtual beacon 1068 may be
manually placed on the map 1052 by the operator 1051 and/or it may be
automatically placed on the map by the system 200 based on the
characteristics of the landmark 1054. In the illustrated embodiment, the
virtual beacon 1068 is positioned at approximately the center of the
landmark 1054. In other embodiments, where the landmark represents a
relatively large geographical area, multiple virtual beacons may be
associated with a single landmark. For example, when the landmark is a
municipality (horizontally expansive) or high-rise building (vertically
expansive), a plurality of virtual beacons may be placed at spaced
locations within the landmark to ensure adequate coverage. In such an
embodiment, if an emergency is confined to a section of the landmark,
only those individuals associated with a virtual beacon covering that
section of the landmark will be alerted--thus, avoiding unnecessary
panic.

[0099] In operation, the system 200 dynamically creates and modifies an
emergency notification list based on the movements of the registered
individuals 1056-1066 with respect to the virtual beacon 1068.
Individuals on the notification list are notified of emergency situations
that occur at or near the landmark 1054, or within an associated
geo-fence, and individuals not on the notification list are not so
notified so as to reduce unnecessary panic and communication traffic. In
one embodiment, a registered individual's distance from the virtual
beacon determines whether he or she will be subscribed to the emergency
notification list. For instance, individuals further than a specific
distance away from the virtual beacon will be unsubscribed (i.e.,
removed) from the notification list, and individuals within the specific
distance will be subscribed to the notification list. The list may be
changed dynamically over periodic intervals or upon occurrence of a
triggering event, such as an emergency occurring within a certain
distance of the virtual beacon. In the illustrated embodiment, the
distance from the virtual beacon 1068 that triggers
subscription/un-subscription is represented by the radius 1070 extending
radially outward from the virtual beacon. The subscription distance
(i.e., the length of the radius) may be manually set by the operator 1051
and/or it may be automatically set by the system 200 based on the
characteristics of the landmark 1054 or other pre-determined
characteristics (e.g., geographic locale, day, time of day, etc.).

[0100] The outer bound of the radius 1070 around the virtual beacon forms
a virtual boundary (or perimeter) 1072 that is typically set to encompass
at least the entirety of the landmark (or a specific portion of the
landmark when there are multiple virtual beacons associated the
landmark), and in some embodiments to cover adjacent grounds or multiple
adjacent landmarks, as well. In the illustrated embodiment, the virtual
boundary 1072 is a circle, however, in other embodiments, the virtual
boundary 1072 may be three dimensional. For instance, if the landmark is
a multi-floor building, the radius 1070 may extend from the virtual
beacon in three dimensions and define a virtual boundary that encompasses
more that one of the floors (i.e., the floors occupied by a specific
business or other entity). One of ordinary skill in the art would
understand that, in other embodiments, the distance away from the virtual
beacon 1068 that triggers subscription/un-subscription may not be uniform
around the virtual beacon. For example, the horizontal distance might be
set larger than vertical distances so that an entire floor of a large
floor plan building would be covered, but only that floor and adjacent
floors might be encompassed within the perimeter. For instance, the
subscription distance may be dependent upon the perimeter of the landmark
with which the virtual beacon is associated. In this manner, the virtual
boundary may be any two-dimensional or three-dimensional polygon.

[0101] To monitor the locations of registered individuals 1056-1066 with
respect to the virtual beacon 1068, user devices associated with the
individuals periodically transmit their locations to the system 200. In
some embodiments, the system 200 sends periodic requests that the user
devices report their current location. In other embodiments, the user
devices periodically transmit their current location to the system 200
whenever they are powered on. Using this location data, the system 200
determines whether the user devices within the distance of the radius
1070 from the virtual beacon 1068 (i.e., inside or outside of the virtual
boundary 1072). In some embodiments in which the landmark is a
multi-floor building, the location information received from the user
devices may include information allowing first responders to determine an
individual's vertical position in the building. For instance, received
GPS information may include altitude as well as latitude and longitude.
Further, a transceiver in the user device, such as a Bluetooth Low Energy
transceiver, may detect a user's proximity to various sensors (or
beacons) within a building and report such proximity information to the
system 200. For instance, a building may include proximity sensor on each
floor, enabling a user device to report on which floor it is located.

[0102] The individuals associated with the user devices located within the
boundary 1072 are added to a notification list (individuals 1056-1062 on
map 1052). The individuals associated with the user devices located
outside of the boundary 1072 are removed if currently on the list
(individuals 1064 and 1066 on map 1052). As such, the notification list
includes a real-time list of individuals who need to be notified during
an emergency situation at the landmark. Further, in other embodiments,
the system actively detects when a specific user device crosses the
boundary 1072 and removes or adds the individual associated with the user
device to the notification list in response to the detected crossing.

[0103] In the event of an emergency, the system 200 transmits emergency
notifications to the user devices associated with the individuals on the
notification list. After such notifications, the system 200 may perform
the emergency information dissemination steps described in association
with FIGS. 1-10. For instance, the system 200 may define a geo-fence
around the actual location of the emergency situation and send detailed
emergency information and instructions to the individuals within the
geo-fence (which may encompass less than, the same space, or more than,
the entire landmark 1054).

[0104] In that regard, the map 1052 also shows a location of an emergency
situation 1076 that within the area of the landmark 1054. The system 200
has defined a geo-fence 1078 around the location of the emergency
situation, as described in association with FIGS. 1-10. Using the user
device location information received by the system 200, the system
determines that the individual 1058 is within the geo-fence 1078 and
takes additional measures to ensure the safety of the individual. A
method more fully describing the virtual beacon-based notification system
described in association with FIG. 14 will be discussed in association
with FIG. 15.

[0105] Referring now to FIG. 15, illustrated is a simplified flow chart of
a method 1100 for virtual beacon-based emergency notification of
individuals, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The
method 1100 may be implemented in the context of the system discussed in
association with FIG. 14. The method 1100 begins at block 1102 where a
virtual beacon is established (i.e., placed by an operator and/or
algorithm) in or near a landmark. Notably, the virtual beacon is
established before an emergency situation occurs, and may also be used to
monitor individuals in non-emergency situations, e.g., to track access to
dangerous or confidential materials. The virtual beacon has associated
with it a distance that triggers subscription/un-subscription from an
emergency notification list. The set distance may form a virtual boundary
that encompasses all or some of the landmark, or even adjacent
landmark(s) and/or property. Next, in block 1104, individuals associated
with the landmark register with the emergency system 200. As an aspect of
this, the individuals are added to a database and associated with one or
more user devices. The method 1100 continues to block 1106 where the
emergency system 200 receives from the user devices location data
describing the geographical locations of the user devices. In most cases,
the location of a user device will correspond to the location of the
individual associated with the user device.

[0106] Then, the method continues to decision block 1108, where it is
determined whether each of the user devices are within the subscription
distance from the virtual beacon (i.e., within the boundary created by
the virtual beacon). If a particular user device is not within the
subscription distance, the method proceeds to block 1110 where the
individual associated with the particular user device is removed from a
list of registered users that will be notified in the event of an
emergency at the landmark. If, however, the particular user device is
within the distance, the method proceeds to block 1112 where the
individual associated with the particular user device is added to the
notification list and will be notified in the event of an emergency at
the landmark. Next, at decision block 1114, it is determined whether an
emergency notification associated with the landmark has been received. If
no such notification has been received, the method 1100 returns to block
1106, where the emergency system continues to receive the geographical
locations of the user devices associated with the individuals. If,
however, an emergency notification has been received, the method 1100
proceeds to block 1116 where the emergency system transmits information
about the emergency situation to the user devices associated with the
individuals on the emergency notification list.

[0107] In some embodiments, the emergency notification may originate from
one or more sensors positioned in areas of interest. For example, a
seismic sensor placed near a fault line may detect seismic activity or
tsunami sensor positioned off-shore may detect when water levels are
lower or higher than a predetermined threshold for a specific amount of
time, or both. In some embodiments, when such a sensor detects unusual
activity it transmits a notification to the system 200, which processes
the information and transmits emergency notifications to user devices
that are on emergency notification lists associated with virtual beacons
within a specific range of the sensor. In one embodiment, a sensor itself
may act as a virtual beacon and user devices are subscribed to the
notification list if they come within a specified distance from the
sensor. In another embodiment, the sensors themselves may transmit push
emergency notifications to nearby user devices that are in proximity. In
such an embodiment, the geographic range of the user devices alerted may
depend on the type and severity of the activity detected by the sensor.

[0108] Finally, the method 1100 optionally proceeds to block 1118 where
the method continues to block 320 of the method 300 illustrated in FIG.
3. In that regard, the system 200 may perform any or all remaining
emergency information dissemination steps described in association with
the method 300. For instance, the system 200 may define a geo-fence
around the location of the emergency situation itself and send detailed
emergency information and instructions to the individuals within the
geo-fence (which may encompass less than the entire landmark). In that
regard, only a subset of the individuals on the notification list may
receive further information/instructions about the emergency situation,
or individuals may be notified by geographic location, e.g., different
messages for those in the geo-fence, adjacent the geo-fence, and away
from the geo-fence.

[0109] One of ordinary skill in the art would understand that the method
1100 of virtual beacon-based emergency notification of individuals is
simply an example embodiment, and in alternative embodiments, additional
and/or different steps may be included in the method. Further, steps may
be excluded or performed in a different order from the method 1100 in
certain embodiments. For example, in one embodiment, the establishing of
a virtual beacon in block 1102 may be performed after the individuals
have registered with the emergency system in block 1104. Further, in some
embodiments, the emergency system may continually receive the
geographical locations of the user devices throughout the method 1100 and
not just during block 1106. For instance, the user devices may
periodically transmit their current location to the system 200 whenever
they are powered on.

[0110] The method 1100 may be performed by logic that may comprise
hardware (e.g., dedicated logic, programmable logic, and microcode),
software (such as software run on a general-purpose computer system or a
dedicated machine), or a combination of both (e.g., computer system 1000
of FIG. 1). In one example embodiment, the processing logic resides at
the interactive emergency information and identification system 200, and
the various elements of the system 200 can perform the method 1100.

[0111] Thus, various interactive emergency information and identification
systems and methods have been described. Although embodiments have been
described with reference to specific example embodiments, it will be
evident that various modifications and changes may be made to these
embodiments without departing from the broader spirit and scope of the
system and method described herein. Further, elements of different
embodiments in the present disclosure may be combined in various
different manners to disclose additional embodiments still within the
scope of the present embodiment. For instance, elements from environments
100, 102 and 980 may be combined, exchanged, or otherwise altered to form
additional embodiments. Accordingly, the specification and drawings are
to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense.